title: Enabling university teaching for Canadian academics with multiple sclerosis through problem-focused coping.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Research shows that sustained employment contributes to a higher quality of life for those with multiple sclerosis (MS). Occupational therapists can work to create therapeutic interventions that assist people with MS with maintaining employment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To detail the problem-focused coping strategies that academics with MS employ to enable them to teach in universities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 45 Canadian academics with MS. Thematic analysis was used to generate findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While there is flexibility in research and service work tasks, teaching tasks are the most seemingly inflexible. This necessitated the development of problem-focused coping strategies to enable teaching. Three categories of strategies were employed: (1) organizational; (2) before/after teaching; and (3) during teaching.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This brief report is intended to serve as a resource for occupational therapists and others wanting to gain a better understanding of the types of therapeutic interventions useful to those teaching in universities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University, RCB 6141, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6. crooks@sfu.ca
authors.forename: Valorie A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Crooks
authors.forename: Sharon Dale
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Owen
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000628:therapy*; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D012106:Research / Q000458:organization & administration; D012107:Research Design; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration